Flexible/expandable phacoemulsification tip
OwnerWilliam F. Wileyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A phacoemulsification cutting tip, including a rigid tubular portion and a flexible and expandable tip portion located distal to the rigid tubular portion. The flexible and expandable tip portion presents an axial length and an unexpanded radius and is formed such that the axial length shortens while the unexpanded radius increases when differential pressure due to an occlusion of an opening of the flexible tip portion exists.
Claims19
(canceled)
A phacoemulsification cutting tip, comprising:
- a rigid tubular portion and a flexible and expandable tip portion located distal to the rigid tubular portion;
- the flexible and expandable tip portion defining a distal opening at a distal end thereof;
- and
- wherein the flexible and expandable tip portion further comprises a woven structure whereby aspiration of crystalline lens fragments is facilitated.
A method of mitigating surges of flow into and through an aspiration channel during a phacoemulsification process, the method comprising:
- utilizing a phacoemulsification cutting tip having a flexible and expandable tip portion;
- making contact between the flexible and expandable tip portion and a crystalline lens of the eye or fragments of the crystalline lens of the eye;
- and
- making or selecting the phacoemulsification cutting tip flexible and expandable tip portion to include a woven structure.
A method of phacoemulsification, comprising:
- contacting a crystalline lens of an eye with a phacoemulsification tip having a distal expandable portion and a proximal rigid portion;
- and
- making or selecting the phacoemulsification cutting tip flexible and expandable tip portion to include a woven structure thereby facilitating radial expansion and axial length shortening;
- whereby aspiration of crystalline lens fragments is facilitated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.